. >> president obama leaves tonight on a new mideast mission traveling to israel for high-level meetings with prime minister netanyahu and comes at a critical time. he will try to appeal to their elected officials to allow time for sanctions against iran to work before attempting military action. the president will also visit the west bank and jordan. >>> also in the middle east an american citizen emerging as the alternative to president bashar al assad in syria. he is from texas and elected early this morning as the leader of the opposition and could be the first prime minister if the government of al assad is ever toppled. >>> to a close call for thousands of college students walking around campus with a heavily armed gunman in their midst but police swooped down on the university of central florida before their fellow student could carry out his plot. here's pierre thomas with the latest. >> reporter: hundreds at the university of central florida evacuated as word broke of a gunman on campus. >> the cops had guns and were telling everyone to run. >> we noticed something was wrong bec